With bitcoin dipping below the $90,000 band this week, South Korea’s premium is creeping back into view, as prices indicate that the top crypto asset has stayed north of that threshold on local exchanges such as Bithumb and Upbit.

Rising Japanese bond yields and escalating U.S.–Europe trade tensions have driven markets into a risk-off stance. Bitcoin has retreated below $90,000, as macro uncertainty grows.

On Jan. 20, the altcoin market suffered a sharp sell-off, with total market capitalization dipping to $1.26 trillion before a slight recovery.

Precious metals fans are grinning ear to ear as both gold and silver have climbed to fresh lifetime price peaks. On Wednesday, a single Troy ounce of .999 fine gold jumped more than 2% against the greenback, clocking an all-time high of $4,886.

Bitcoin, the digital darling of financial disruption, clocked in at a price of $88,199 on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. The crypto asset’s market cap stood at a formidable $1.77 trillion, backed by a 24-hour trading volume of $58.07 billion. With an intraday range stretching from $87,777 to a high-flying $91,201, bitcoin flirted with both danger and opportunity — the kind of volatility that gets chart-watchers reaching for their Fibonacci tools before their coffee.

Crypto ETFs reopened after the holiday to aggressive selling pressure, with bitcoin and ether leading a broad market retreat. Only solana managed to stay afloat, narrowly avoiding the red as risk appetite evaporated elsewhere.

Galaxy is launching a $100 million hedge fund to trade crypto and financial‑services stocks.

Delaware Life adds Blackrock’s bitcoin‑blended index to a fixed index annuity, offering bitcoin exposure with principal protection.

The Nigerian SEC has sharply raised minimum capital requirements for digital asset firms, with offering platforms now needing about $704,000 and exchanges and custodians $1.4 million. Experts describe new capital requirements as “anti-innovation,” and warn that they could drive talent abroad.

Chainalysis introduces Workflows to let non‑technical users automate advanced blockchain analysis without code.

Sei Development Foundation and Bhutan’s DHI will deploy a Sei validator to boost national blockchain capacity.

Canaan disclosed it received a Nasdaq deficiency notice on Jan. 14, 2026, after its American depositary shares traded below $1.00 for 30 consecutive business days.

Tenx Protocols has expanded into the Tezos ecosystem by acquiring about 5.54 million tezos ( XTZ) between January 2–19, 2026, at a cost of roughly $3.25 million.

Tokenization is emerging as a potential fix for global financial inequality, with Coinbase research arguing that bringing stocks and bonds onchain could unlock broader market access and reshape how wealth is created worldwide.

Fundstrat head of research Tom Lee says the firm is expecting new all-time highs for bitcoin in 2026.